QUARTERBACK

Tarek Yaeggi, 6-3, 175, sr., Watertown: This is a student of the game who soaked up tips from his father, Brent, the team's volunteer quarterbacks coach, and Goslings coach Benji Kamrath, who played the position at Minnesota. You can't argue with the results. Yaeggi led the state in passing yards (3,264), touchdowns (40) and yards per game (296.7). He was recently named the Gatorade state player of the year. He led the Goslings to a 9-2 mark and solidified his status as the state's top passer with 562 yards in a 54-49 Level 2 victory over Waukesha West. "He's a great quarterback, but he's an even better kid," Slinger coach Bill Jacklin said. "He was an unbelievably classy acting kid."

RUNNING BACKS

Rashadeem Gray, 5-9, 165, sr., Whitefish Bay: He was a threat to score at any time. Just ask Brookfield East, which bottled him up for three quarters only to see him break loose for two fourth-quarter touchdowns that sparked a 24-14 come-from-behind victory. "You take him off that team and that's a very different team," East coach Tom Swittel said. "That's the litmus test for any player." Gray finished with 1,683 yards and 24 touchdowns in 189 carries and shared the North Shore Conference player of the year award with Cedarburg's Matt Johnson.

R.J. Shelton, 6-0, 195, sr., Beaver Dam: The Beavers couldn't match their team success of 2011, but Shelton still managed 1,302 yards and 15 touchdowns in 149 carries, an 8.7-yard average, and was as slippery as ever. He finished his storied prep career with 5,092 rushing yards and 72 touchdowns. He had a season-high 234 yards and four touchdowns in a 42-20 victory over Waupun in Week 1. He committed to Michigan State as a running back. "He's got an unbelievable skill set. Really quick," Slinger coach Bill Jacklin said. "I thought we shut him down and he still had (179)."

Matt Hubley, 6-2, 205, sr., Catholic Memorial: A workhorse who earned all-conference recognition as an outside linebacker while sparking a ground game that helped the Crusaders win the WIAA Division 3 state title. He ran for 1,671 yards and 21 touchdowns in 226 carries for an average of 7.4 yards per rush. He committed to Wisconsin and could end up playing safety there. "He played the defensive line and still had enough energy to rush for over 1,000 yards in conference," Kettle Moraine coach Darnell Wiltz said. "Not many kids who can do that."

OFFENSIVE LINE

T.J. Bartels, 6-4, 255, sr., Franklin: Sabers coach Louis Brown, who has worked in the program for 20 years, calls Bartels the best guard he has coached. What separated Bartels is the athleticism he brought to the position when it came to zone blocking or protecting the passer on rollouts. He earned Southeast Conference lineman of the year honors playing in an attack that was about 60-40 pass in terms of yards gained. "He really did a good job within their scheme," Oak Creek coach Mike Bartholomew said. "He was exceptional in pass protection and very good in the run."

Tony Koepnick, 6-3, 284, sr., Sussex Hamilton: The Chargers had arguably the best line in the Greater Metro, rushing for an average of 330 yards per game in the regular season. Koepnick, a tackle, led the way, often getting the call to lead the way in tight situations. He was the league's offensive linemen of the year after failing to net any all-conference recognition in 2011. "If you look at his season, he never had a bad game. He never had a bad series. He was very consistent," Hamilton coach John Damato said.

George Panos, 6-5, 280, jr., Arrowhead: The massive guard committed to Wisconsin during the summer and then lived up to the high expectations that came with being a Division 1 recruit by claiming first-team all-Classic 8 honors and helping the Warhawks win the Division 1 state title. "There was no let-up in his tenacity," Arrowhead coach Greg Malling said. "He gets his block and just finishes it." His father, Joe, was a former UW standout and NFL player.

Graham Bullmore, 6-7, 270, sr., Kenosha Bradford: The tackle accepted an invitation to walk on at Northwestern and at least one coach sees the potential for him to make an immediate impression. "I'd be surprised if he doesn't earn a scholarship quickly," Franklin coach Louis Brown said. The Red Devils averaged 259 rushing yards per game during the regular season and advanced to the Division 1 quarterfinals. "I could see him at 315 (pounds) in a couple of years and being able to compete for (Northwestern)," Oak Creek coach Mike Bartholomew said.

Riley Budde, 6-4, 285, sr., Beaver Dam: Played his third position on the line in three years, but that didn't stop him from shining at left guard this season. He helped the Beavers average close to 300 yards per game of total offense and was responsible for springing all-area back R.J. Shelton on a number of big runs. "I thought he was a great offensive lineman," Wisconsin Lutheran coach Kirk DeNoyer said. "He really got after his blocks."

RECEIVERS/TIGHT ENDS

Matt Johnson, 6-0, 175, sr., Cedarburg: He averaged 24.9 yards per catch. Johnson was named co-offensive player of the year in the North Shore and finished the season with 42 grabs for 1,045 yards and 11 touchdowns. He had five scores of 50 yards or longer. He had a season-high 152 receiving yards in a 38-12 victory over Racine Park in Week 2 and a season-high seven catches in a 21-18 loss to Homestead in Level 2 of the playoffs. "He was the best athlete when it came to making plays," Port Washington coach John Bunyan said. "If the ball was in the air, he'd jump up and get it and then he'd outrun people."

Dom Todarello, 5-11, 186, sr., Arrowhead: Todarello was so good that it was hard to peg him. Coaches in the Classic 8 tabbed him a running back. Warhawks coach Greg Malling calls him a receiver, but he also played quarterback. He was the league's offensive player of the year. Here are his numbers: 35 catches for 593 yards and three touchdowns; 568 rushing yards and 13 touchdowns in 59 carries; 12 of 17 passing for 322 yards, six touchdowns and zero interceptions. "He was their everything to be honest," Kettle Moraine coach Darnell Wiltz said. "He's like the guy you can't get out in baseball no matter what you pitch. He seemed like one of those kids."

KICKER

Mitch Meindel, sr., 6-2, 194, Catholic Memorial: Maybe the Crusaders don't win the state title without him. His 33-yard field goal as time expired lifted the Crusaders to a 24-21 victory over previously undefeated Wisconsin Lutheran in Level 3 of the playoffs. He made four of six field goals last season and had a long of 35 yards. He accepted a scholarship to play at North Dakota State.

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